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Demands to fix our roads |
Tuesday, 20 May 2008 - YPCT
State Member for Goyder, Steven Griffiths (left), District Council of Yorke Peninsula CEO Ricki Bruhn (centre) and Federal Member for Grey, Rowan Ramsey, examine the shocking condition of a road on Yorke Peninsula. (Photo: YPCT)
Federal Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey has joined State Member for Goyder Steven Griffiths in demanding the State Government use some of its GST windfall on the state’s roads dangerously in need of repair.
State Member for Goyder, Steven Griffiths (left), District Council of Yorke Peninsula CEO Ricki Bruhn (centre) and Federal Member for Grey, Rowan Ramsey, examine the shocking condition of a road on Yorke Peninsula.Mr Ramsey said he was appalled at the state of the road running between Maitland and Minlaton, saying one section was in such poor condition it was a serious danger to the motoring public.
“I was travelling as a passenger in a car, at the recommended speed of 100 km/h, when we hit a particularly rough patch and the driver almost lost control of the car,” he said.
“You can only imagine how hard it would be to control a fully laden truck through the same patch.
“The extra GST revenue the South Australian Government is reaping as a result of the price of petrol rising around 40 cents per litre in the last two years is in excess of $100 million.
“The government has a responsibility to keep its end of the bargain in road upkeep, so how about some of this unbudgeted fuel tax being spent on the country roads where it was raised?”
Mr Griffiths backed the call, saying the road’s condition is symptomatic of much of the state network.
“The Rann government has seriously under-invested in road maintenance,” he said.
“The shoulder patching on local roads is indicative of their poor condition and a reflection of the government’s lack of interest in regional South Australia.
“Yorke Peninsula and the Adelaide Plains have half a million visitors spending 1.7 million nights per year in our wonderful part of the state, and while residents know of the poor road condition areas and drive accordingly, our visitors can suddenly be confronted with a section of road that is hazardous. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure these roads are safe.
“I am particularly concerned for people towing caravans and boats, who are major components of the visitors to the region. Locals contact me every week concerned about the condition of our roads. They want, and deserve, better.
“RAA 2006 figures show a $200 million backlog in funding for road maintenance”.
Mr Ramsey highlighted the inequity in state and federal government funding in the state’s roads.
“The former Australian Government’s Auslink program invested record amounts into national highway network and local government roads through the Local Roads and Roads to Recovery programs which were allocated to target roads of highest priority.
“Unfortunately, the SA Government has not kept its end of the bargain and our state highways are a disgrace, patch on patch, dangerously rough and uneven with crumbling shoulders. Time is up; let’s have some real commitment before more lives are lost”.
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